IanF
Moderator
As a change from Scotland where we have visited for the last two years we decided on spending a week in the Lake District this year. We visit the Lakes regularly through the year, but many parts are a little too remote to cover in a day visit. It wasn’t a birding holiday as such, but we did fit in a fair bit of bird watching.
The holiday got off to a good start when we arrived at our accommodation for the week – Brackenrigg Barn, Naddle which lies two miles south of Keswick on the road to Thirlmere. It’s a converted stone barn divided into three ‘cottages’ all very modern and clean. A quick look around soon revealed a pair of Common Redstart nesting in the slate wall of the barn. They obviously had young as both parents were regularly taking in food the whole time we were there. The small wooden stable beside the barn housed two sheep and was shared with a pair of Spotted Flycatcher which were still in the process of nest building, though half way through the week they stopped taking in moss and I suspect eggs had been laid.
Brackenrigg also had it’s own small wood at the rear which were private, just for use of the guests. This made them very quiet and secluded. They have recently been replanted with Alder and have yet to reach their full potential. There are some mature trees. A Cuckoo was about every day but I never did spot it. In all we managed 36 species either in or over the grounds. Sightings were only from mornings and evenings as we spent the days elsewhere.
Common Redstart
Northern Wheatear
Swift
Black headed Gull
Swallow
Kestrel
Starling
Spotted Flycatcher
Dunnock
Great Tit
Magpie
Cuckoo
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
House Martin
Linnet
Mistle Thrush
Wren
Nuthatch
Robin
Willow Warbler
Blackbird
Pied Wagtail
Greylag Geese
Canada Geese
Buzzard
Mute Swan
Meadow Pipit
Wood Pigeon
Skylark
Chaffinch
Song Thrush
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Crow
Raven
Grey Wagtail
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
A pair of Buzzards used to settle on the cliffs opposite and could be seen most days as with the rest of the birds on the list.
The holiday got off to a good start when we arrived at our accommodation for the week – Brackenrigg Barn, Naddle which lies two miles south of Keswick on the road to Thirlmere. It’s a converted stone barn divided into three ‘cottages’ all very modern and clean. A quick look around soon revealed a pair of Common Redstart nesting in the slate wall of the barn. They obviously had young as both parents were regularly taking in food the whole time we were there. The small wooden stable beside the barn housed two sheep and was shared with a pair of Spotted Flycatcher which were still in the process of nest building, though half way through the week they stopped taking in moss and I suspect eggs had been laid.
Brackenrigg also had it’s own small wood at the rear which were private, just for use of the guests. This made them very quiet and secluded. They have recently been replanted with Alder and have yet to reach their full potential. There are some mature trees. A Cuckoo was about every day but I never did spot it. In all we managed 36 species either in or over the grounds. Sightings were only from mornings and evenings as we spent the days elsewhere.
Common Redstart
Northern Wheatear
Swift
Black headed Gull
Swallow
Kestrel
Starling
Spotted Flycatcher
Dunnock
Great Tit
Magpie
Cuckoo
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
House Martin
Linnet
Mistle Thrush
Wren
Nuthatch
Robin
Willow Warbler
Blackbird
Pied Wagtail
Greylag Geese
Canada Geese
Buzzard
Mute Swan
Meadow Pipit
Wood Pigeon
Skylark
Chaffinch
Song Thrush
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Crow
Raven
Grey Wagtail
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
A pair of Buzzards used to settle on the cliffs opposite and could be seen most days as with the rest of the birds on the list.
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